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Three opportunities are coming in December to give back to the wildlife refuges in the Salem area, enhancing native habitats, restoring remnant prairie and providing important habitat for pollinators, notably Monarch butterflies.

This monarch was seen in early June on a showy milkweed. Monarch larvae feed on milkweed species. Help plant them at area wildlife refuges in December.(Photo: Stephanie Hazen / Special to Statesman Journal)

Help plant around 4,500 native milkweed plants across Ankeny, Baskett Slough and William L. Finley National Wildlife refuges. Options are:

Dec. 10 at Baskett Slough Refuge: Meet at 10 a.m. at the Baskett Slough Refuge office/barn/shop. The address is 10995 Highway 22, Dallas. Look for a big lone cedar tree at the driveway off of Highway 22, as the refuge entrance sign is hard to see and the turn sneaks up on you. Come down the driveway past the hazelnut orchard, and park by the white barn.

Dec. 14 at William L. Finley Refuge: Meet at the Finley headquarters building at 9:30 a.m. The group will split up and go to multiple planting units, visiting some areas of the refuge many have never seen before. Both groups are due back to the parking lot by 12:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 at Ankeny Refuge: Meet at 10 a.m. at the Ankeny Hill Overlook at Ankeny Refuge. To get there, the pull-out/parking lot is off Ankeny Hill Road SE; take the Ankeny Hill exit off of I-5 and head west. We’ll be at the overlook parking lot just before the intersection with Buena Vista Road.

Dress for rain and mud, and bring a water bottle and maybe a snack in your backpack to munch on. RSVP to Sam at samantha_bartling@fws.gov or text 541-760-3036.